The invisible abuse : emotional abuse on children and possible consequenses for adulthood (English)

Abstract [en]

Background: Childhood emotional abuse can lead to mental illness. Research about emotional abuse is limited and therefore complicates the work of the nurse, since understanding of what emotional abuse means is of importance.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe what consequences people may suffer later on in life if they were exposed to emotional abuse or emotional neglect as a child.

Method: A literature overview was performed by collecting and analysing eight quantitative studies, two qualitative studies and one study with mixed-method. The analysis was performed according to Friberg's three-step-model.

Results: Childhood emotional abuse showed to affect the victims mental health later on in life. There were many different mental illnesses associated with persons that had experienced emotional abuse in their childhood. Personality disorders, depression and eating disorder was found to have a significant connection of mental health outcomes based of childhood emotional abuse. There were also a significant connection with social inhibiting states such as anxiety, post traumatic stress syndrom (PTSD), low self-esteem and low self-image.

Conclusion: More information about how to detect and prevent emotional abuse of children is needed. Nurses also need more knowledge about how to handle the care of adult patients struggling with mental illness due to childhood trauma.